Tennessee Volunteers Basketball

Only five undefeated teams remain in NCAA Division I men's basketball after the No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers dispatched the visiting No. 6 Arizona Wildcats 77-73 on Wednesday in Knoxville's Thompson-Boling Arena.

John Fulkerson's 24-point, 10-rebound double-double paced the Vols, who also got 15 points from Santiago Vescovi and 12 more via Josiah-Jordan James.

Fulkerson dominated after the second half's under-four timeout, scoring six straight Vols points en route to seven total.

The super senior hit a short jumper to give Tennessee a 69-67 lead before adding a pair of free throws for a four-point advantage following an Arizona turnover.

Azuolas Tubelis then cut the Tennessee lead to 71-69 with a two-pointer, but Fulkerson responded with a putback layup for a 73-69 edge with 56 seconds remaining.

JOHN FULKERSON pic.twitter.com/RETexijKPO

— CHANNEL TN (@CHANNEL_TN_) December 23, 2021

Tubelis made two more layups in the final minutes, but the Vols iced the game with four made free throws around those shots for the win.

Bennedict Mathurin scored a game-high 28 points alongside eight rebounds and five assists for Arizona, which also got 11 points from Kerr Kriisa.

Tennessee looked like it was going to run away with this game in the first half after opening up a 16-2 first-half lead en route to a 34-21 halftime advantage.

However, Arizona chipped away at the Tennessee lead thanks to 14 second-half points from Mathurin, who finished the game 8-of-16 shooting and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line.

Ultimately, Arizona fell largely because of 17 turnovers and foul trouble that affected the entire starting lineup. 

Mathurin, Kriisa and Christian Koloko all fouled out, while Tubelis and Dalen Terry each had four. Tennessee ended up going 18-of-27 from the line, while Arizona was 12-of-18.

The Wildcats fell to 11-1 with the defeat. Baylor, Iowa State, USC, LSU and Colorado State are left among the unbeaten following Arizona's loss.

Tennessee improved to 9-2.

The University of Memphis announced Saturday's men's basketball game against the University of Tennessee has been canceled because of COVID-19 issues within its program.

The matchup between the Tigers and the 18th-ranked Volunteers, dubbed the Nashville Showcase, was scheduled to take place at Bridgestone Arena.

Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday with an impressive 92-78 upset over No. 6 Alabama. It was an important resume-building win for head coach Penny Hardaway's group.

The Tigers' matchup with the Vols was one of just three games against ranked opponents left on their schedule. Without it, they only have their two conference matchups with No. 14 Houston remaining, unless another team makes a surge from The American.

Depending how the rest of their season plays out following a 6-4 start, not getting an opportunity to take down the Volunteers could prove costly in their efforts to earn an NCAA tournament bid.

Meanwhile, UT was already on the court warming up for Saturday's game when word came down of the cancellation:

Vols walk off in disbelief after learning of the postponement of their showdown with Memphis. Team will scrimmage for the fans that are here at Bridgestone Arena @wvltrick pic.twitter.com/nJUAPSXjVA

— wvlt (@wvlt) December 18, 2021

The Vols are off to a promising 8-2 start highlighted by a win over then-No. 18 North Carolina in late November.

Tennessee's schedule gets tougher over the next few weeks as it prepares to host No. 8 Arizona on Wednesday before traveling to face the aforementioned Crimson Tide on Dec. 29.

With Saturday's cancellation, the Volunteers will continue to hold a 15-12 advantage in the all-time series between the in-state rivals.

Tennessee received a marquee commitment Thursday from 5-star power forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield.

High school and college basketball recruiting reporter Joe Tipton reported that Huntley-Hatfield told him he had committed to the Volunteers and is reclassifying from the 2022 class to 2021.  

Prior to reclassifying, Huntley-Hatfield was ranked as the No. 6 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2022. He was also listed as the top power forward and the best player out of the state of Pennsylvania.

The 6'9", 230-pound post player is a high-energy, two-way contributor who should be one of the best rebounders in the class. His offensive versatility has grown to include an outside shot, and he sports the length and athleticism to guard multiple positions defensively.

Huntley-Hatfield, who transferred from the famed IMG Academy to the Scotland Performance Institute in the middle of his high school career, generated interest from several top programs.

In August, he explained in a Sports Illustrated blog he wanted to take his time making the right choice.

"It's a big decision to pick a school to spend at least nine months of your life, and in that time it could determine whether or not you achieve your ultimate goal," Huntley-Hatfield wrote.

As his comments suggest, if his development continues at its current rate, he'll likely be a one-and-done college player before heading for the NBA draft.

Huntley-Hatfield should be an instant-impact performer for head coach Rick Barnes and the Vols. It's too early to say whether that'll be as a starter or the first player off the bench, but he should still see plenty of minutes as a freshman in either role.

Either way, it's a major pickup for Tennessee that will help provide hype ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Tennessee has qualified for the NCAA tournament in each of the past three years it has been held, and with Huntley-Hatfield in the fold, the Volunteers could be in line to go on a deep run next season if he is as good as advertised.

Tennessee first-year guard Keon Johnson has announced his intention to file as an early-entry candidate for the 2021 NBA draft.   

"The NBA has always been my goal, but I never expected it to come this soon," Johnson told Jonathan Givony of ESPN. "I really don't care what number I get drafted at. I just want to go somewhere I fit in that organization. Where I can keep developing and find my niche."

Johnson was ranked as the No. 19 overall prospect in 247Sports' class of 2020 men's high school basketball composite rankings. The Bell Buckle, Tennessee, native was also fourth among shooting guards.

Jerry Meyer, 247Sports' director of basketball scouting, compared the 19-year-old to Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Malik Beasley and offered this write-up on his game:

"A well-built, physical and explosive athlete. A well-rounded and versatile offensive player. Primarily a slasher who can both finish and find open teammates. Capable and improving outside shooter. Room for improvement as a full-court ball handler. Quality rebounder for position and versatile defender. Should hear his name called in the first round of the NBA draft whenever he declares."

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman placed Johnson seventh to the Washington Wizards in his March 11 NBA mock draft and seventh in his March 2 big board.

He wrote in the big-board piece:

"Keon Johnson averaged 14.0 points in February and looked more confident in his skills and less reliant on athleticism and effort. 

"Early as an NBA pro, he still projects as more of an energizer and defender, but the flashes of ball-handling and shot-making create optimism over his potential to become a tougher half-court scoring and playmaking threat.

"Johnson started the season at No. 7—outside the top five because of a lack of offensive polish but top-10 based on long-term upside fueled by physicality, explosion, aggression and room to improve his off-the-dribble game and shot. Nothing has changed in his scouting report or projection with March Madness looming."

Johnson played an integral role for a Vols team that improved after going 17-14 overall and 9-9 in the SEC last year. Those marks jumped to 18-9 overall and 10-7 in conference play this year, with the team sitting in the top 25 of the Associated Press poll all year.

However, the Vols did fall short in the first round of the NCAA tournament, losing to a scorching-hot Oregon State team that rolled into March Madness after winning the Pac-12 title.

For the season, Johnson averaged 11.3 points on 44.9 percent shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

It's no surprise that Johnson will be heading to the NBA draft, and it won't be a shock if he safely lands in the lottery portion of the first round, either.

Tennessee freshman Jaden Springer is moving to the NBA after announcing his intention to enter the draft Monday. 

https://twitter.com/jadenspringer11/status/1376650099275759616

The 18-year-old was one of the top combo guard recruits in the country last year, so his decision isn't too much of a surprise. Before he averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists with the Volunteers, 247Sports ranked him the No. 16 player overall in the class of 2020.

He backed that up with a freshman year strong enough to test his standing as a pro after helping Tennessee reach the NCAA tournament—ultimately falling to Oregon State in the First Round.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him as his No. 16 overall pick in February: 

"Though Springer skeptics question his athleticism and playmaking, his scoring efficiency (49.0 field-goal percentage), shooting (15-of-32 on three-pointers), passing IQ, defense and age (18) should be enough for a mid-first-round team to look past his limited transition offense and assist numbers."

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic was more skeptical, ranking him at No. 22 on his big board in January, but he noted Springer would benefit from a second year in college:

"Unlike a lot of freshmen across college hoops this year, Springer has been an efficient decision-maker who generally does the right thing out on the floor, moves well without the ball and doesn't play like a goofball. A couple of worries here in terms of translation that he'll need to work through, though. First, his jumper is very mechanical and robotic. He really needs to set before shooting it. There isn't much here yet in terms of movement shooting. Second, he has to do everything off two feet now. If he's dribble driving, it's a jump stop into a two-foot floater or a two-foot load leap into a finish at the rim." 

Because he is signing with an agent, Springer will not retain his NCAA eligibility and cannot return to school. The NCAA allows players to declare for the combine and receive feedback from pro scouts without losing their college eligibility as long as they don't hire representation. 

Gonzaga and Baylor have stood atop the men's college basketball hierarchy in 2020-21, but there's no shame in being a second-tier team. Those two are still viewed as likely candidates to have an extended stay in the NCAA tournament, and Tennessee looked like it deserved that billing early this season.

While the Volunteers lagged a bit on the scoring end, they showed year-to-year improvement in three-point shooting and offensive rebounding. That's a strong combination for a defense-led team.

And that unit seemed incredible.

Led by Yves Pons—the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year—and 5-star freshman Keon Johnson, the Vols locked up opponents through 11 games. They ceded only a 30.3 percent three-point clip while forcing 16.7 turnovers per game. That strength carried Tennessee to a 10-1 record and No. 6 ranking in the AP Top 25.

Since that promising start, however, the Vols have dropped five of their 11 games and plummeted to 25th in the poll.

Tennessee is awfully inconsistent on the perimeter and now committing a bunch of turnovers. The Vols' half-court offense can be painful to watch. The defense has lapses too, but it can't be expected to prop up a mediocre scoring attack all season.

Optimism for the second Elite Eight run—or even first Final Four trip—in program history has steadily faded. Instead, Tennessee has become a vulnerable team and is increasingly unlikely to navigate the first weekend of March Madness.

Maybe not even its first game.

Yes, the defense—which ranks third nationally, per KenPom.com—has earned a high level of respect. If the bracket falls nicely, Rick Barnes' team can still have a successful NCAA tournament. How exactly you define success for this roster is subjective, but let's consider it a Sweet 16 trip.

That qualifier must be granted; we don't know the bracket, after all. The wrong matchup, though, could be devastating.

Much of the Volunteers' scoring issues can be attributed to shot selection. They attempt two-point jumpers at the 21st-highest rate in the country, according to Hoop-Math.com, but convert just 38.3 percent of them. That is 213rd out of 347 teams.

If they're not consistently hitting mid-range shots, the perimeter isn't making up for it. Tennessee's 34.3 long-range clip is 152nd in the nation. Victor Bailey Jr. and Santiago Vescovi are decent options but regularly have 1-of-4 kind of nights.

Any lingering optimist can point to a 63.2 clip in shots at the rim, and that's a quality rate!

But those attempts account for just 30.5 percent of Tennessee's total shots, which ranks 308th nationally, and makes this a circular discussion. The Vols aren't shooting at the rim enough, yet it's the only thing they do well. They shoot a bunch of two-point jumpers and are pretty bad at them.

Turnovers aren't helping, either. They averaged 9.6 giveaways in the first 11 games but are up to 13.8 in the last 11 contests. Worst of all, as Barnes noted following a recent win over Vanderbilt, many of the turnovers are self-inflicted errors.

#Vols coach Rick Barnes: We turned it over way too many times tonight, and most of those turnovers had nothing to do with [Vandy] and everything to do with us.

— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) February 25, 2021

Fixing those problems isn't as simple as saying, "shoot closer more often." The offense is used to operating in this inefficient fashion, and changing that will not happen overnight. Pivoting the offense from running through 6'9" forward John Fulkerson to the backcourt is a good start, but it might be too late.

At this point of the year, Tennessee doesn't have time to spare. The last two games are against Auburn and Florida, then the SEC tournament looms the second week of March. The Vols might be limited to three or four games before March Madness.

Simply put, it's unwise to expect dramatic improvements.

Tennessee is pegged as No. 5 seed—the dreaded No. 5 vs. 12 game—in the NCAA field, per Bracket Matrix. Ten of the last 12 NCAA tourneys have included at least one 5 vs. 12 upset. And if the Vols move anywhere, given their small remaining schedule, it's probably down. The No. 11 upset of a No. 6 is even more popular.

As the Volunteers search for late fixes, it's become difficult to not consider them a prime candidate to join that group.

           

Recruiting information via 247Sports. Statistics courtesy of KenPom.com or Sports Reference, unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

The Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team has paused all basketball activities after head coach Rick Barnes and a number of other members in the program tested positive for COVID-19, per ESPN's Jeff Borzello. 

Per that report, "the positive tests were conducted Sunday afternoon, and the entire program is getting retested today. Barnes has entered isolation protocol following his positive test."

Tennessee also cancelled games against Charlotte and VCU after the positive tests.

The 66-year-old Barnes is the latest coach to test positive for the coronavirus, following Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, Ole Miss' Kermit Davis, Washington State's Kyle Smith and Baylor's Scott Drew. With the recent surge of cases around the United States, there is growing momentum for the NCAA to push back the start of the season.

I’ll say it again, to anyone who will listen, push the season back to March, and then have May Madness. Give the Vaccine a chance. In the best interest of all involved!

— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) November 23, 2020

We’re not even at 1 p.m. ET and we’ve had Duke and Arizona cancel it’s season-openers, Baylor out of Mohegan Sun and now Tennessee’s Rick Barnes tests positive for COVID.

We need a new plan for college hoops.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 23, 2020

"I'm glad that [the NCAA is] looking at different things, including I would hope they always keep in mind that if it did get bad, worse than what it is, that maybe you could have [the season] later," Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters last week. "I've always been a proponent of that: starting the season later."

Even if the start of the season doesn't get pushed back, coaches are preparing for the possibility of missed games and thin rosters if players test positive for the coronavirus.

"Those thoughts creep in every day," Florida Gators head coach Mike White told the Associated Press. "I wonder how many games I'll miss this year. I wonder how many games we'll have our five starters out there, 12 guys available."

As for the Volunteers, they enter the season as the No. 12 team in the Associated Press poll and the No. 14 team in the Coaches Poll. 

Tennessee received a commitment Friday from Kennedy Chandler, one of the top prospects in the 2021 college basketball recruiting class. 

ESPN's Jeff Borzello reported the point guard's choice of the Volunteers:

Kennedy Chandler, the No. 1 point guard in 2021, has committed to Tennessee.

Chandler to @PaulBiancardi: “I was looking for a program that could help me develop and have a strong family atmosphere, and a coach I could relate to. Tennessee and Rick Barnes made me feel that way.”

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) August 14, 2020

He selected the Vols amid offers from Duke, Kentucky, UNC and several other high-profile programs.

Hawks star Trae Young congratulated Chandler on Twitter after his decision:

This is different Lil bro.... I LOVE IT!!!
Ain’t nothing like reppin the home state, trust me🙏🏽💯 Go Crazy! https://t.co/fcIm848v0L

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) August 14, 2020

Chandler is a 5-star prospect and the No. 11 overall player in the 2021 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also listed as the best point guard and the No. 1 recruit from Kansas.

The dynamic playmaker's stock has rocketed over the past year, which led to offers from numerous elite basketball programs across the country.

"It has been crazy," he told Rivals' Corey Evans in December. "A lot of schools have been reaching out, calling me, texting me, and right now, I am just enjoying the process and getting ready for the season ahead."

Chandler is a terrific slasher with a lightning-quick first step, the ability to finish with either hand around the rim and no trouble contending with size in the paint. He's also displayed great vision to find open teammates after forcing the opposing defense to collapse.

The 6'1", 165-pound guard is still developing his outside shot, which will be essential for him to eventually become a top NBA draft prospect, and he'll need to continue filling out his frame in order to round out his game defensively.

Chandler should emerge as an immediate-impact player for Rick Barnes at Tennessee. At minimum, he's showcased the offensive skill set necessary to provide a spark off the bench as the primary ball-handler for the second unit, but he figures to play a larger role by the end of his freshman season.

His stay with the Vols may be a short one, however, especially if he shines during his first collegiate campaign to bolster his draft status for 2022.

Dawn Staley has turned South Carolina into a powerhouse, but LeBron James doesn't think the Gamecocks could hold a candle to the peak Tennessee experienced during the Pat Summitt era. 

On Sunday, SEC Network shared a graphic asking fans to pick the stronger starting five from the respective programs. The Los Angeles Lakers star chimed in to say the Lady Vols were the clear favorite:

Man WHAT??!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣. No disrespect to those lady Gamecocks and their hoopers cause they can ball but THAT Lady Vols team would SMASH damn near any team. Now if you put them vs Lady Huskies(Bird,DT, Maya, B. Stewart, Lobo) now we talking. And yes I know they ain’t in the SEC🤷🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/eRIm4uZC6l

— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 6, 2020

Because Tennessee has fallen out of the women's basketball elite following Summitt's departure, perhaps younger fans don't know how the Lady Vols set the gold standard for more than three decades. Summitt guided them to eight national titles and 18 Final Fours.

That hypothetical Tennessee starting lineup includes three winners of the Naismith College Player of the Year award: Candace Parker, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings. Parker and Holdsclaw were the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player in back-to-back seasons as well.

Tiffany Mitchell, Ty Harris and A'ja Wilson were All-Americans during their time at South Carolina, but they can't compare to the legends that walked through the doors in Knoxville.

As James noted, Connecticut is one of the few teams that could throw out a lineup that could potentially match the best Tennessee had to offer.

Given the legendary rivalry the Huskies and Lady Vols enjoyed through the mid-to-late 1990s, there would undoubtedly be some passionate opinions on both sides as to who is superior.

Jaden Springer, a 5-star prospect from IMG Academy, announced Wednesday that he has committed to play college basketball at the University of Tennessee:

Breaking: 5-Star recruit Jaden Springer, ESPN's No. 16 player in the class of 2020, tells @PaulBiancardi he's committing to Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/zuDedC8iE3

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 23, 2019

The 6'5", 195-pound prospect is considered the No. 4 shooting guard, No. 4 player from the state of Florida and No. 16 overall player in the class of 2020, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Springer chose Tennessee over other top schools, including Memphis and Michigan to give the Volunteers the 247Sports' No. 4 rated class in 2020.

Jerry Meyer of 247Sports broke down Springer's game in his scouting report, noting he has "tremendous strength and build for a combo guard. Has average-to-good length. A power guard who is effective in traffic and plays through contact. Scores at all three levels. Great rebounder for a guard. Can also distribute, although scoring is his strength. Great potential defensively."

If Springer can consistently hit threes and take defensive strides, he could be a one-and-done lottery pick as a three-and-D wing, a role NBA teams covet. His ability to finish at the rim and his general prowess as a scorer bodes well for his pro impact.

Tennessee will hope Springer lives up to his immense potential, even if it's a brief stint at the school. 

The Volunteers are having a nice recruiting cycle, already nabbing 4-star small forward Corey Walker and 5-star shooting guard Keon Johnson. And that comes after a strong 2019 recruiting class, which featured 5-star guard Josiah-Jordan James and 3-star power forward Olivier Nkamhoua. 

After going 31-6 last season and reaching as high as No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the Vols are building a strong foundation under head coach Rick Barnes. They look like they may be developing into perennial contenders for the SEC and national titles.